ISLAMABAD: Officials of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) were found involved in stealing fuel from the civic agency’s vehicles, following which a case was registered against them.

However, the officials were later released without any legal action.

The case was registered with Sabzi Mandi police station in response to a complaint lodged by police Sub-inspector Mian Noorullah.

According to the FIR registered on March 24, a man had informed the police about fuel theft from official vehicles, including bulldozers, parked at the waste dumping ground behind Metro Cash and Carry.

In response, a police team reached the spot and found 16 cans, each having a capacity to carry 30 litres, filled with diesel and nine empty cans. Two persons were rounded up while a carry van driver escaped along with the vehicle after seeing the police.

They were filling cans with diesel after taking it out from the tanks of the CDA vehicles, the FIR said, adding that on inquiry two persons told the police that the fuel was stolen from the vehicles in connivance with the officials of the civic agency.

Later, the fuel was sold at different localities and the CDA officials got their share from it.

The police shifted the cans and the two persons to a police station from where the suspects were released on personal security.

The cans filled with diesel were handed over to the station clerk (Moharrar) till the issue was brought to the knowledge of the relevant CDA officers.

On March 21, a deputy director CDA and other officers concerned were called and asked to become complainants, the FIR said. But so far no one has lodged any written complaint with the police.

Sources said the Sabzi Mandi police had rounded up five CDA officials and a few other people in connection with the fuel theft.

On March 21, there were negotiations between police and the CDA staff, including some senior officers, over the theft. Later, Sabzi Mandi police released all the five officials detained in connection with the theft without taking any legal action against them, sources said.

The SHO of Sabzi Mandi and the police spokesperson were approached by Dawn on March 21, but they did not give their comments on the release of the CDA officials.

The sources said the Sabzi Mandi police had registered the case after the capital police and the CDA failed to hush up the matter, and mediapersons started contacting the police on the issue.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2023